Does nursing school teach you how to react to a dead/dying patient?

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Hi! I am not new to this site but it has been quite a while since I last signed in. I thought I was not going to go into the nursing field but have re-considered. So I have a ton of questions coming your way! Firstly, I would like to know if nursing school teaches you how to handle a dying or deceased patient, because I have never had to be exposed to a dying family member before (except for my grandpa who was already deceased at the funeral home and I barely even knew him) and I'm concerned how awkward and stressful this is going to be.

Thanks in advance.

RB

No, nursing school did not prepare me for this situation but the death of my parent last year did.

You may learn in nursing school what to look for/do when your patient is dying, and what you may say to the patient and/or his family...but it's just something you need to experience.

It doesn't have to be awkward or stressful. Maybe you could speak with your nurse supervisor about what to do when someone dies..go over the procedure (I did that the other night with my supervisor).

I have heard many of my classmates say that they were surprised that they cried after the passing of one of their patients or residents...and that is ok too!

We had a patient die during my most recent rotation. My instructor had all 8 of us go into the room. Those who were willing (I was) helped with post mortem care. I helped with postmortem care when my grandparents died so I was fine with it. Other students couldn't even look at the body. Death is the natural culmination of life and is nothing to be afraid of.

I was in college when Kubler-Ross's classic came out, and our faculty assigned it. I was never upset or creeped out by death again.

I recommend it, especially as you note that you, like man people nowadays, have no first-had experience with death other than perhaps a grandparent's funeral.

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